Introduction
有 (yǒu) is the verb "to have". It covers owning things, having family members, and having abstract things like time or money. It is also one of the few verbs that behaves irregularly in the negative — it takes 没 (méi), never 不 (bù).
Overview
Structure: Subject + 有 (yǒu) + Object
| Pattern | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| S + 有 + O | 我有一个妹妹。(Wǒ yǒu yī gè mèimei.) | I have a younger sister. |
| S + 没有 + O | 我没有钱。(Wǒ méiyǒu qián.) | I don't have any money. |
| S + 有 + O + 吗？ | 你有时间吗？(Nǐ yǒu shíjiān ma?) | Do you have time? |
| S + 有没有 + O？ | 你有没有问题？(Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu wèntí?) | Do you have any questions? |
| S + 有 + Num + MW + O | 他有两个孩子。(Tā yǒu liǎng gè háizi.) | He has two children. |
Counting what you have — the measure word is not optional:
- 我有一个妹妹。(Wǒ yǒu yī gè mèimei.) ✓ — number + measure word + noun.
- ❌ 我有一妹妹。(Wǒ yǒu yī mèimei.) — a number can never sit directly on a noun.
- For an unspecified amount, drop the number entirely: 我有钱。(Wǒ yǒu qián.) — I have money.
- 两 (liǎng), not 二 (èr), when counting: 我有两个哥哥。(Wǒ yǒu liǎng gè gēge.)
Examples
我有一个妹妹。
Wǒ yǒu yī gè mèimei.
I have a younger sister.
他有两个孩子。
Tā yǒu liǎng gè háizi.
He has two children.
你有时间吗？
Nǐ yǒu shíjiān ma?
Do you have time?
我没有中文名字。
Wǒ méiyǒu Zhōngwén míngzi.
I don't have a Chinese name.
我们有很多作业。
Wǒmen yǒu hěn duō zuòyè.
We have a lot of homework.
你有没有问题？
Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu wèntí?
Do you have any questions?
Usage Notes
- Negation is 没有 (méiyǒu), never 不有 (bù yǒu). This is the single irregular negative you have to memorise at Level 1.
- 有 is not used for "have" in the English perfect tense. "I have eaten" is 我吃了。(Wǒ chī le.) — not 我有吃。(Wǒ yǒu chī.)
- With 很多 (hěn duō) — a lot of — no measure word is needed: 我有很多朋友。(Wǒ yǒu hěn duō péngyǒu.)
- The same verb covers relationships, objects, time, money and abstract things: 有姐姐 (yǒu jiějie), 有车 (yǒu chē), 有时间 (yǒu shíjiān), 有钱 (yǒu qián), 有意思 (yǒuyìsi) — interesting.
- 有 is third tone (yǒu). After another third tone it shifts up in speech — 我有 is pronounced closer to wó yǒu — but it is still written 我有 (wǒ yǒu).